Migration & Asylum

Thanks to the collaboration of artist and UNITED activist Banu Cennetoğlu from Turkey, the Tagesspiegel newspaper in Berlin has published a 48-page supplement today including the UNITED ‘List of Deaths’ to mark the International Day Against Fascism on 9 November.

Fatal Policies of Fortress Europe: >33.305 documented refugee deaths since 1993. TIME FOR CHANGE!
To mark International Refugee Day, UNITED is publishing an updated edition of its List of Deaths and of its interactive map.

ENAR (European Network Against Racism) has published its Shadow Report on racism and migration in Europe. ENAR’s Shadow Report focuses on racism and discrimination against migrants in Europe in 2015-2016, based on national questionnaire responses from 26 EU Member States

Representatives of NGOs and the governments of OSCE member states met in Hamburg last week for the 2016 OSCE Ministerial Council and Parallel Civil Society Conference. NGOs, including UNITED and members of the Civil Solidarity Platform (CSP) presented a set of recommendations to member states highlighting the need for protection and expansion of civil society space in Europe, as well as reaffirming the need to protect the rights of migrants, refugees and minorities.

The List of Deaths, which includes details of over 22,000 refugees and migrants who died due to the fatal policies of Fortress Europe, was included in the exhibition “Insecurities: Tracing Displacement and Shelter” at the Museum of Mordern Art in New York.

The European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) has released its latest country reports on Armenia, Turkey and the United Kingdom, analysing recent developments and outstanding issues and providing recommendations to the authorities. Despite certain positive developments, ECRI notes, there are challenges ahead.

At the meeting chaired by UNITED spokesperson Ralph du Long, UNITED programme coordinator Balint Josa spoke about the growing polarisation in European societies regarding attitudes to refugees and the impact of the negative narrative around refugees that is routinely spread by populist media and politicians, as well as giving an introduction to UNITED’s #LifeSeekers campaign.